Dismantling the EU’s Gendered Climate Policy Identity

This chapter examines the gendered dimensions of the European Union’s climate change policy discourse, which has historically been gender-blind but is nonetheless influenced by gendered structures and value systems. By applying a critical ecofeminist lens combined with hegemony analysis, the study explores how these gendered patterns shape the EU’s climate policy identity during the period 2010 to 202 and also examine the resulting justification of its climate policies. After reconstructing the EU’s climate discourse up to 2010, identifying key actors and demands within its multi-level governance system, the extensive analysis reveals how implicit gender structures influence the EU’s climate discourse, and shows the need to expand the theoretical framework. The findings of the ecofeminist hegemony analysis are summarised, highlighting the hegemonic projects, actors, and strategemes used within the EU’s climate discourse followed by a critical discussion of the findings.